Can You Compost Shredded Paper?

Composting kitchen scraps and waste materials are great ways to reduce your own environmental impact, but for beginners to the trade finding information pertaining to what can and can't be composted is a nightmare. Although this article won't provide a complete list of compost-safe items, it will however discuss the one material that most modern households turn to first, shredded paper! But, can you use shredded paper in compost? In short, the answer is yes, you sure can. Throughout the body of this article, you'll be able to explore the benefits to using shredded paper for compost, as well as papers to use and those you may want to stay away from.

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Shredded Paper for Compost -

Over the years, you may have come to believe that credit card companies, insurance agencies and countless retail advertisers that send a constant stream of junk mail and bills, have done so just infuriate you. While you have every right to be irked with the bills, there's no need to be frustrated with the excess amount of paper. When you take a second glance at the matter, you'll see that these wasteful companies have just been trying to help keep your garden healthy and productive. Okay, so maybe that's not their reasoning, but with all the benefits that shredded paper can provide for compost, it might as well be! Here's how shredded paper can be useful for your compost and garden.

Shredded paper compost. Premium compost can be achieved with the use of shredded paper.

Benefits of Shredded Paper in Compost -

Shredded paper in the form of newsprint and bank/credit card statements provide an excellent source of required carbon. A healthy compost thrives on a ratio of 25 parts carbon to 1 part nitrogen. Since paper is almost completely carbon, it can greatly help balance a compost that has been supplied with too much nitrogenous matter.

Moisture absorption and water retention is increased when using shredded paper for composting. The natural properties of paper wick away moisture from decomposing organic materials. This process helps to break down materials faster and prevent any odors or leakage issues. You'll also find that finished shredded paper compost benefits plants by better retaining vital moisture at the root level.

When composting in addition to kitchen scraps and yard trimmings, the shredded paper helps to bulk up the volume of soil. There will be more finished compost to go around if shredded paper was used in the composting process.

Worms thrive with the addition of shredded paper to compost. If you plan to do even the slightest bit of vermicomposting, you'll find that worms will actively eat and seek shelter in the shredded paper.

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Safe Paper for Compost -

Trying to find information on safe papers to use for composting is much like pulling teeth. It's quite the painful process, full of articles with conflicting information. Some sources claim that bleached papers and inks used for printing can be dangerous and therefore should not be used in compost.

While this claim was valid years ago, the truth of the matter is that the paper and printing industry has come a long ways from where it was. The majority of paper and inks used in modern day production are virtually contaminant free, and according to the Composting Council, compost produced with paper products almost always contains less overall contaminants than compost produced using yard trimmings only. Here's a general list of papers that are considered safe for composting:

Bills, Credit Card Statements, Junk Mail

Envelopes

Office Paper (Plain or printed on)

Receipts

Newsprint

Notebook, Tablet any used school papers

Scrap Papers

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Papers to Take Caution With -

While all shredded paper serves as a great source of carbon and will easily break down in compost, some processed and heavily inked papers may want to be avoided. The reason for this is that heavily processed papers may contain heavy metals, poisonous inks, waxes and clays. Though a healthy and matured compost will have bound most heavy metals into insoluble forms and broken down any harmful compounds including pesticides and inks, you may want to stay away from these papers just to sustain your own piece of mind:

Please keep in mind that this list is not intended to scare you away from composting such materials. According to the Composting Council, the above paper products are considered to be safe for composting use. Many gardeners compost these materials with no complications and are not worried about the potential of contaminants. In the end, the choice to compost or not to compost these materials is in your hands. Stay within your own comfort zone.

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Shredded Paper Compost - Final Word

On a final note, I would personally recommend that you compost as many paper products and junk letters/mail as possible! Every paper composted is a paper saved from the harmful processes of paper recycling, or worse yet, wasteful landfills. For those of you who are still skeptic on the use of shredded paper in compost, I find it helps to look at the situation this way: There's pollutants virtually all around us, in the air and in the water table. Is it really much of a harm if some contaminants end up as insoluble compounds in the soil? After all, there's probably not a single place on earth that is completely contaminant free. So, it's much better to compost than to not compost at all. Thank you for reading my article on "Can you compost shredded paper?".

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Comments

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Jill Spencer 5 years agofrom United States

Lots of great detail. Excellent hub! Voted up & awesome.

Jason Menayan 5 years agofrom San Francisco

Really educational. I thought the ratios would have been reversed - much less carbon, more nitrogen. Now I don't feel so bad tossing paper towels in my composting barrel! Our garden is close to being ready to plant things, so I'll start composting paper & other stuff (esp. coffee grounds) too.

Zulma Burgos-Dudgeon 5 years agofrom United Kingdom

Never thought of using paper for composting. Thanks for the advice.

Voted useful and interesting. Socially shared.

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Zach 5 years agofrom Colorado

That's great Emma! I'm glad to hear that your compost bin has been at the center of your attention lately. Mine has been too. I've been trying to make as much as possible so paper, leaves, horse & goat manure, kitchen scraps and coffee grounds have all hit the compost in good numbers. Good luck and thanks for your feedback.

Emma Harvey 5 years agofrom Berkshire, UK

We have been using our compost bin a lot recently and throw all our food scraps, teabags and egg shells in. But I never thought to compost paper. This is very interesting, and will try out this method in future.